Earthenware pots still rule in many household kitchens, here is why
Here are some of the reasons for the claypot's enduring popularity.
Eco-friendly option
Given that the base material is an environemntally-friendly substance, there is almost no eco-guilt when one accidentally cracks a claypot. Completely bio-degradable unlike teflon-coated utensils, the claypot is a great way to flex your green warrior credentials, apart from your culinary skills.
Aesthetically pleasing
Give your dining table an instant touch of rustic when you serve up great food in claypots. Even the simplest of fares takes on added appeal when the lid is taken off the claypot. Having claypots in the kitchen also adds old-school charm into what can sometimes look like a sterile environment. It just hints at a a serious chef at work.
Slow-cooking vessel
The claypot is ideal for slow cooking as its porous material allow for the even flow of heat and moisture. Unlike steel or metal containers, this allow cooks to just let meats to slow cook over a low fire for the most tender dish. It is also used as casserole dish – place it on oven for that perfect pot roast as the heat works its magic to every morsel of your favourite recipe.
Consistent serving temp
Terracotta is a bad conductor of heat but the advantage is the amount of heat it conducts is just about perfect to cook food without overheating or cooking at high pressure. Hence hot food remains hot and cold food remains cold longer. That is why some restaurants serve briyanis in claypots even though they were not prepared in them, It allows the food remain warm longer.
Juicy goodness
The main reason many cooks swear by claypots is that these utensils retain moisture when lid is properly closed, thus retaining greater flavour and aroma. Ask any claypot chicken rice fan and they will confirm that this is the gospel truth.
If your kitchen still lacks a claypot or two, do the necessary and add to your culinary armour.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
20 minutes ago
- Straits Times
‘Japanese First': PM Ishiba must address anti-foreigner sentiment ahead of Upper House poll
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox – The last thing a country's leader is expected to do is to publicly slag off the proud traditions of their nation. But Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has caused a stir by seeming to have done just that on July 2, when he described the Japanese language and customs as 'very tedious'. The remark was made in the context of helping foreigners better assimilate into society and recognising the need to ease immigration policies to plug Japan's growing labour shortfall, given its falling birthrates and an ageing population . 'We want foreigners to properly learn the 'very tedious' Japanese language and customs – even at the expense of the Japanese government – and only allow in those who follow Japan's laws,' he said, stressing that there is a place for foreigners who respect Japan's traditions. He was speaking at a debate of the leaders of contesting political parties, held on the eve of Nomination Day for the July 20 Upper House election. Perhaps it was a backhanded attempt to seem relatable, but it has led to the piling of even more heat on a beleaguered leader who is already facing pressure from all sides. Veteran lawmaker Ichiro Ozawa of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) criticised Mr Ishiba, saying: 'I cannot sense any reverence for the Japanese language, traditions, or culture. These remarks will offend many citizens and are completely unbecoming of a prime minister.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 193ha of land off Changi to be reclaimed for aviation park; area reduced to save seagrass meadow Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 Singapore PAP questions Pritam's interview with Malaysian podcast, WP says PAP opposing for the sake of opposing Singapore 1 in 4 appeals to waive HDB wait-out period for private home owners approved since Sept 2022 Sport A true fans' player – Liverpool fans in Singapore pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota Singapore Healthcare facility planned for site of Ang Mo Kio Public Library after it moves to AMK Hub Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Business 60 S'pore firms to get AI boost from Tata Consultancy as it launches new innovation centre here But worse, Mr Ishiba's gaffe plays directly into the hands of the young upstart party Sanseito, which has made 'Japanese First' its campaign slogan and struck a chord with the Japanese public in directly taking a leaf from the playbook of United States President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again movement. Its 47-year-old leader Sohei Kamiya, who has a juris doctor degree in law, is known for a history of anti-vaccine propaganda but is now fast gaining attention for his anti-foreigner rhetoric. His party wants to curb foreigner numbers – both immigrants and tourists – and levy heavy taxes on foreign purchases of Japanese land and real estate to prevent Japan from 'becoming an economic colony'. It has also accused foreigners of fostering crime in Japan. The party's nationalistic stance has won it backers including former Air Self-Defence Force chief of staff Toshio Tamogami. 'The Trump administration is defending the national interests of Americans, and this wave is spreading to Europe and other places,' Mr Kamiya said at the debate on July 2. 'The Prime Minister does not believe this applies to Japan. People say this as 'far-right' but we do not think so. And since the global trend is changing, Japan should keep up with the times,' he added. The problem with such rhetoric, even as Mr Kamiya insists the party is 'not xenophobic but just anti-globalism', is that it easily plays to the gallery in Japan, a generally inward-looking nation where just 17.5 per cent of its citizens have passports. The unfortunate reality is that many Japanese are taught from a young age that their country is 'homogenous' and an 'island nation'. And Mr Kamiya's statements feed into an us-versus-them mentality, at a time when many are suffering from rising costs of living. Juxtapose that against the ills associated with overtourism and foreigners swooping in to snap up land and real estate assets that have driven up prices . This is as only 60 per cent of Japanese possess their own homes. Sanseito has enjoyed a meteoric rise since its establishment in 2020, leveraging the power of social media and controversy. On YouTube, it has the distinction of being the most-followed political party in Japan, with 353,000 subscribers, where it spews allegations of foreigners getting 'preferential treatment'. Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya is now fast gaining attention for his anti-foreigner rhetoric. PHOTO: REUTERS According to media surveys, Sanseito now ranks as the third- or fourth-most popular political party in Japan, behind the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), CDP and, sometimes, the Democratic Party for the People. Mr Kamiya has cited the examples of Singapore and Dubai in saying how his party will prioritise foreign talent as well as transient workers in areas where there is a manpower shortage. 'We want to rebuild Japan so that we can make this country great again,' he said. Sanseito may still be a small party – it has five lawmakers across the lower and upper houses of Japan's bicameral legislature – but more established parties like the LDP are sitting up and taking note. Rather than ignoring its statements as inconsequential hot air, the LDP wrote into its campaign manifesto a pledge for 'zero illegal foreigners'. Under Mr Ishiba, the LDP has vowed to clamp down on foreigners who fail to pay medical bills, taxes and social insurance premiums. The party's more hawkish camp wants to abolish duty-free shopping for tourists altogether, among other things. Under Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the Liberal Democratic Party has vowed to clamp down on foreigners who fail to pay medical bills, taxes and social insurance premiums. PHOTO: REUTERS While the battle for votes on July 20 is largely centred on the cost of living, with the LDP promising cash handouts and opposition parties pledging temporary cuts to the sales tax , immigration remains an emotive flashpoint that has drawn supporters and protesters alike to rallies. Much is at stake, and the ruling coalition of LDP and Komeito is trying to defend its majority in the 248-seat chamber. A total of 522 candidates are vying for the 125 seats up for grabs. Lawmakers serve a fixed six-year term in the chamber which, unlike the Lower House, cannot be dissolved. A poll is held every three years, for half the chamber's members whose tenures are expiring. There is an additional seat up for election in this cycle to fill a vacancy. The ruling coalition has 75 uncontested seats, and Mr Ishiba has said his goal is for the bloc to secure a majority by winning at least 50 seats. If it fails to do so, Japan will face the spectre of a political stalemate – or worse, upheaval – given that Mr Ishiba leads a minority government after the coalition lost its majority in the Lower House in an October 2024 snap election . Mr Ishiba has shown remarkable staying power despite his limp Cabinet support ratings, but he has struggled to tame inflation at home. Mr Trump's recent broadsides of Japan as 'very spoiled' in tariff negotiations cannot come at a worse time for him. Sanseito is fielding 55 candidates and aims to secure a total of six seats in the Upper House. While this election will not unseat the incumbent government, the risk is that the seeds of anti-globalisation are being planted, to be sown in future elections. That is something Mr Ishiba can combat by better conveying how Japan should be a vanguard for globalisation and an accepting place for all, and demonstrate to its voters how that would be a far better option than isolationism. Japan had gone down that route during the feudal era, which stunted its technological, economic and social progress.
Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Do international carbon credits fight climate change?
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A coal-fired power station scheduled to shut down is seen in As Pontes, Spain, February 8, 2022. Picture taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Miguel Vidal/File Photo BRUSSELS - The European Commission has proposed an EU climate target for 2040 that allows countries to count carbon credits bought from developing nations towards the EU goal for the first time. Here's what that means, and why the EU move on Wednesday faced criticism from campaigners and some scientists. WHAT ARE CARBON CREDITS? Carbon credits, or offsets, involve funding projects that reduce CO2 emissions abroad in place of cuts to your own greenhouse gas emissions. Examples include forest restoration in Brazil, or converting a city's petrol buses to electric. The buyer counts "credits" for those emission reductions towards its climate goal, and the seller gets finance for their green project. Proponents say the system generates much-needed funding for CO2-cutting efforts in developing nations and lets countries work together to cut emissions around the world. However, the reputation of CO2 credits has been dented by a string of scandals in which credit-generating projects failed to deliver the climate benefits they claimed. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 193ha of land off Changi to be reclaimed for aviation park; area reduced to save seagrass meadow Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 Singapore PAP questions Pritam's interview with Malaysian podcast, WP says PAP opposing for the sake of opposing Singapore 1 in 4 appeals to waive HDB wait-out period for private home owners approved since Sept 2022 Sport A true fans' player – Liverpool fans in Singapore pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota Singapore Healthcare facility planned for site of Ang Mo Kio Public Library after it moves to AMK Hub Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Business 60 S'pore firms to get AI boost from Tata Consultancy as it launches new innovation centre here WHY IS THE EU BUYING THEM? The European Commission proposed allowing up to 3 percentage points of the EU's 2040 target - to cut net emissions by 90% from 1990 levels - to be covered by carbon credits bought from other countries. The EU's existing climate targets require countries to meet the goals entirely by cutting emissions at home. The bloc's executive Commission said last year it hoped the EU could agree a 90% emissions-cutting target for 2040, with no mention of carbon credits. Tumultuous geopolitics and the economic woes of European industries have since stoked political pushback, with governments from Germany to Poland demanding a softer target. In response, the Commission said it would add flexibilities, and landed on carbon credits as a way to retain a 90% emissions-cutting goal while reducing the domestic steps needed to reach it. EU countries and the European Parliament must negotiate and approve the goal. WHAT ARE THE RISKS? The EU plan was welcomed by countries including Germany, which had pushed to include carbon credits in the goal, and by carbon credit project developers as a boost for climate finance. But environmental campaigners said the EU was shirking domestic CO2-cutting efforts and warned against relying on cheap, low-value credits. The EU's climate science advisers had also opposed buying credits under the 2040 target, which they said would divert money from investments in local clean industries. The EU banned international credits from its own carbon market after a flood of cheap credits with weak environmental benefits contributed to a carbon price crash. To try to address the risks, the Commission said it would buy credits in line with a global market and rules for trading carbon credits which the U.N. is developing. These include quality standards aimed at avoiding the problems that unregulated credit trading has faced in recent years. Brussels will also propose rules next year on specific quality standards for the carbon credits the EU buys. HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? The EU doesn't yet know. Carbon credit prices today can be as low as a few dollars per tonne of CO2, up to more than $100, depending on the project. EU emissions records suggest the bloc would need to buy at least 140 million tonnes of CO2 emissions to cover 3% of the 2040 target, roughly equivalent to the Netherlands' total emissions last year. One senior Commission official said the bloc was determined not to hoover up cheap junk credits. "I don't think that would have any additional value. The credits we see currently on voluntary carbon markets are very, very cheap, and that probably reflects a lack of high environmental integrity," the senior official said. REUTERS
Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- Straits Times
‘Violent' attack wounds four on German high-speed train
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BERLIN - Four people were wounded on a high-speed train in southern Germany on July 3 when a fellow passenger attacked them with 'dangerous objects', police said. A suspect was arrested following the incident on a train carrying around 500 passengers near the village of Strasskirchen, police for the region of Bavaria said in a statement. 'At around 1.55pm (7.55pm, Singapore time) today ... a man on an ICE train travelling towards Vienna injured several people with dangerous objects,' the statement said. Four people received 'minor injuries', it added. The Bild daily reported that the main weapon used to attack passengers was 'probably an axe'. 'Several passengers reportedly pulled the emergency brake after the incident, causing the train to come to a halt on an open stretch of track,' it said. Passengers then surrounded the attacker, who was seriously injured and taken to hospital by helicopter, it added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 193ha of land off Changi to be reclaimed for aviation park; area reduced to save seagrass meadow Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 Singapore PAP questions Pritam's interview with Malaysian podcast, WP says PAP opposing for the sake of opposing Singapore 1 in 4 appeals to waive HDB wait-out period for private home owners approved since Sept 2022 Sport A true fans' player – Liverpool fans in Singapore pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota Singapore Healthcare facility planned for site of Ang Mo Kio Public Library after it moves to AMK Hub Singapore $500 in Child LifeSG credits, Edusave, Post-Sec Education Account top-ups to be disbursed in July Business 60 S'pore firms to get AI boost from Tata Consultancy as it launches new innovation centre here Rail operator Deutsche Bahn said it was 'appalled' by the 'violent attack' on the train, which had been travelling from Hamburg. 'Our thoughts and sympathy are with the injured and all those who are now coming to terms with what they have experienced,' a spokesman said. AFP
